Car step



Feb. 6, 1923., 1,444,356

J. F KEMP. CAR STEP.

FILED Nov. 29, T921. 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 cf F. [@1 1 I ,6 [6 0 w INVEbfTOR WITNESS:

J. F, KEMP.

CAR STEP. FILED Nov. 29. 1921, 2 SHEETS'SHEET 2 JTFEevnp INVENTOR WITNESS: ATTORNEY a a es are JAMES rmzrzr KEMP, 0F TROY, IOWU'R.

STEP.

Application filed November 29, 19 21.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. KEMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Davis and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates to improvements in steps for railway cars and has for an object the provision of a foldable step which may be extended to facilitate the entrance and exit of passengers to and from a car.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an extensible step having novel means of connection with the permanent steps of the car, the said means in addltion, limiting the downward movement of and supporting the step when the latter is in extended position and enabling the said step to be folded fiat upon the tread of one of the permanent steps, so as to permit of the use of the latter while the step is in folded position, without danger of injury to persons entering or leaving the car.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to he hereinafter more fully described, illus trated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the permanent steps of a railway car with the invention applied thereto, the foldable step being shown in extended position.

igure 2 is a similar view showing the step folded.

Figure 3 is a vertical central sectional view with the parts in the position shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view with the parts in the position shown in Figure Referring in detail to the drawings where in like characters of reference denote corresponding a ts, the reference character 10 indicates afportion of a railway car, while 11 indicates the permanent steps which extend downward from the ca 1' platform and which may be of the usual construction.

The invention comprises an auxiliary step which is capable of being extended to facilitate entrance and exit of passengers and of being folded out of the way when not in use. This step is shown at 12 and is connected to the lowermost of the permanent steps by means of hangers 13. These hang- Serial No. 518,611.

ers are substantially Z-shaped and have one of their ends suitably secured beneath the bottom of the extensible step 12 while their opposite ends extend over the front edge and rest upon the tread of the lowermost permanent step as indicated at 1 1-, when the step 12 is in extended position. This acts to support and limit the downward movement of the step 12 when the latter is in use. The upper ends of the hangers 13 are hingedly connected to the treads of the lowermost permanent step as shown at 15 and due to the shape of the hangers 13, the step 12 may be folded inwardly with its tread resting upon the tread of the next adjacent permanent step. A firm support for the step 12 is thus provided when the latter is folded and permits of the use of the steps in this position when desired, without danger of injuries to persons passing into and out of the car.

Pivotally secured to the step 12 near one end thereof indicated at 16 is an. operating rod 17. This rod extends upwardly through a guide 18 secured to the end of the car and is provided upon its inner end with a handle or grip 19. This provides convenient means for raising and lowering the extensible step, and in addition forms an auxiliary support or brace for the step 12. This is accomplished by providing the rod 17 with a shoulder 20, which is adapted to engage the guide 18 to limit the downward movement of the rod 17.

When the step 12 is folded, it wilL as stated, lie upon the tread of the next adjacent step to which it is hinged and will remain in folded position until manually moved, due to the manner of disconnection with the permanent step ant the position of the operating rod 17 it being necessary to first slightly move the rod downward and raise the step from contact with the permanent t more the point pivotal eonnection he.we n the rod an He step ll over the center f the hin ed connection heo tween the said step and the lowermostmanent stepv The rod 17 may then be pushed downward to lower the step in pos tion for use.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, n'oportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention What is elail'ned is A car step of the class described comprising a foldable step a Z-shaped hanger, said 5 step resting on fiat portion of said hanger,

other flat portion of said hanger being fastened to an adjacent step and pivoted thereon, a bar pivotally secured to first mentioned portion of said Z-shaped hanger on first step, a guide holding upper end of said bar 10 in position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES FELIX KEMP. 

